Shooting Stars
by Sal67548
Summary: Amu is overjoyed when Ikuto returns to Japan for a break from his search to find his father. However, her joy is short-lived when she sees a man at the wedding who looks exactly like Ikuto. Could this be Ikuto's father? And if so, why is he keeping his presence from his son? Could Ikuto be in danger? And just when Amu has started to realize her true feelings...
1. Chapter 1: Amu

_…Continuing right where we left off…_

"Hey, did you hear me?"

"Wh-what?" I stuttered, dazed. Not only had I caught the bride's bouquet, but at that exact moment Nagihiko had decided to let me in on a little secret…that he was actually my long lost best friend Nadeshiko…and I had somehow lost my balance and ended up being held up by Ikuto and Tadase…and then my four shugo charas, who had been sleeping inside their eggs for some time, had suddenly hatched again and—!

"Jeez, you weren't even listening to me. Always off in your own world. Such a kid," Ikuto complained, gently flicking my nose. I blushed furiously, remembering the night before when he had kissed that same nose…

"S-sorry haha…what were you saying?" I said, forcing my mind back to the present.

"He was saying how you should come with me for a minute," Tadase cut in. I looked over at him, remembering that he was still there too.

"Ikuto said…?" I repeated, confused. Why would Ikuto want me to go with Tadase? I looked to Ikuto for the answer, but all I got was a smirk, so that made up my mind pretty quickly.

"Well, if that's what Ikuto _really_ wants…" I let my sentence trail off as I crossed my arms and stuck my nose in the air, stomping off after Tadase.

Catching up to him, I slowed, turning to face him. He somehow looked…older? More mature? I wasn't sure what it was exactly, but something in his eyes made me wonder what he wanted.

"What is it, Tadase-kun? Is something wrong?" I asked him, concerned.

"No, nothing, don't worry. I just wanted a moment to tell you that you look really nice today," he said, flashing me that dazzling smile. I could feel myself getting red as a tomato as my mind screamed at me to say something.

"Th-tha…thank you Tadase-kun!" I stuttered, trying to form coherent words. The Prince saying something like this had been a fantasy of mine since I met him that first day. It was only natural that I would be ecstatic…but somehow, it didn't seem like how I had imagined—

And then I had no time for imagining because there was an arm around my neck and a fist mussing my hair.

"Hey! Fancy seeing you here! How ya doin' Joker?" Kukai shouted enthusiastically from behind me. I turned around ready to greet him when I realized he wasn't alone.

Utau stood next to him. As always, she looked like a goddess. Her long blonde hair was tied into pigtails as usual, but at the base of each was tied a delicate white ribbon. She wore a violet dress that complemented the shade of her eyes and high heels with tiny purple jewels on the straps. I couldn't deny that she looked great, but why was she here with Kukai? Thinking back, I remembered that they were together yesterday too. I made a mental note to ask Utau about it later.

"So I see you found Ikuto," she stated, arms crossed. I blushed, nervous. This was always a touchy subject between us.

"Ha…haha…well I mean we are both at the same wedding—" I started in awkwardly, before Kukai cut in, saving me from whatever response I was going to have to think of.

"Psh, Utau, don't tell me you're jealous of Amu," he said, smirking at her. And Utau actually smirked back. This was getting weird.

"Not a chance," she replied smoothly, pulling him closer as she did. That was my cue to leave.

"Well! It's been fun! I need to…um…uh," I stated awkwardly, "find my shugo chara!" I yelled, realizing suddenly that since they had hatched I hadn't even properly talked to or seen them.

I ran in the opposite direction of Kukai and Utau, who were now staring into each other's eyes, and Tadase, who had evidently after I was pulled away gotten caught up in a conversation with a girl I recognized from the academy.

"Ran, Miki, Su, Dia…where could they have gone?" I mumbled to myself as I wove through the crowd of wedding guests.

"Amu-chan! Amu-chan we're here!" I heard a voice call to me. Ran emerged from the crowd with the others close behind. "We had to tell everyone that we were back!" she exclaimed.

"Oh…yeah, of course! I should have guessed…jeez I just can't get my thoughts straight today. My head is in the clouds," I muttered.

"Don't worry Amu-chan, it's been a crazy day!" Su said, trying to cheer me up.

"Yeah…I would really like to talk to Nagihiko at some point…about…what he told me…" I said, trailing off.

"Do it now! Everyone's socializing anyway!" Dia said, smiling. I smiled back, nodding before heading into the crowd once again.

I searched the faces of everyone I passed, looking for Nagihiko. His revelation really had caught me by surprise. I always knew that Nadeshiko and Nagihiko looked identical, but it had never in a million years crossed my mind that they were actually the same person. As I was walking I felt a tug at my dress and looked down to find Rima.

Ok, Utau was gorgeous in that idol/model/star kind of way, but Rima was like a tiny porcelain doll. Her long curly hair hung in loose ringlets around her face, framing it. Her baby blue dress poofed out at the waist, and her tiny white Mary Jane shoes completed the doll look. However, knowing that she detested being called "cute", I withheld my comment.

"Rima! I'm so glad to see you! Do you know by chance where Nagihiko is?" I asked her. With a knowing look in her eyes, she smiled a tiny smile.

"Yeah, I'm sure right now you really need to talk to him. Come with me," she replied, leading me away yet again. Somehow I felt like I was on a wild goose chase.

And apparently I was, because instead of finding Nagihiko, we ended up by the dessert table, where Yaya stood, practically drooling as Kairi held her arm, rolling his eyes.

"But I want cake NOW!" Yaya wailed, turning around to face Kairi. His face showed no sign of wavering.

"You can't cut the cake before the bride and groom, Yaya. That would be untraditional." He stated matter-of-factly, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. When had those two become first-name-basis friends?

"Oh Amu-chi! You're here!" Yaya yelled catching sight of me. Jumping at me, she clung like a koala, her trademark move.

"Yaya-chan!" I exclaimed, happy to see my friend. "I'm actually looking for Nagihiko…do you know where he is?"

"He was last spotted approximately 3 minutes and 22 seconds ago in the vicinity of the cake table," Kairi stated. After a sufficient period of staring at him, I shook myself out of it and smiled.

"Thanks, I'll go find him then. Come on, Rima—"

"Big shista! Big shista! Wait for Ami!" Ami shouted from behind, interrupting my sentence. I could see my parents running after her, trying to make sure she didn't get lost in this huge crowd.

"Amu…! We found…you…finally!" my dad gasped, trying to catch his breath from running. "We wanted to tell you that we are going home soon, but it's ok if you want to stay for the wedding reception with your friends. Just make sure that you text us throughout the night and call when you're coming home so we know you're safe. Don't be out too late, now."

"Dad…mom…thank you…for trusting me!" I said, smiling at them. "I promise I will! I'll see you later, I'm looking for a friend right now—" I started, but was interrupted by Rima pulling me along again in the search for Nagihiko.

Waving back at my family as they walked away, I searched the crowd yet again, looking for Nagihiko. It was so hard to see…come to think of it, why was Rima leading me to him? She was so short there was no way she could see over the crowd. The thought made me smile. I was about to ask Rima about it when I saw a man weaving his way through the edge of the crowd.

He looked exactly like Ikuto. He was unmistakably not Ikuto, as he was slightly taller and definitely looked older, but all the same they could have been twins. I stopped short, causing Rima, who hadn't seen the man, to jerk to a halt. I couldn't even hear her complaints as I caught sight of a woman standing next to him with long blonde hair that rather reminded me of Utau's.

"Those people…they couldn't be…Ikuto and Utau's parents? But no, Ikuto said that his father was alive, but that he hadn't made contact with him…why would his father have kept his presence a secret?" I mumbled to myself, thoroughly in the habit of talking to myself since usually my shugo chara were around to listen.

Just then, as if sensing my gaze, the man turned around and looked me straight in the eyes. As I stared back, he narrowed his eyes at me just before disappearing into the crowd.


	2. Chapter 2: Amu

"Amu-chan…Amu-chan? Amu-chan!"

I was pulled out of my shock by someone calling my name. When I looked over, I saw that it was Nagihiko, with Rima attached to his arm.

"I found him," she stated.

"Oh…yeah…uh, thanks Rima…" I said, still trying to get a grip on what had just happened.

"So I'll leave you two to talk then. I should go make sure Yaya doesn't eat that cake after all."

As she walked away, I suddenly felt a little shy. I knew that I shouldn't, this was Nadeshiko my best friend and Nagihiko a guy who I had been guardians with for a while now, but knowing that didn't help. I cleared my throat awkwardly, trying to figure out what to say in a situation like this. Now that I was actually here I was having trouble remembering what it was that I had wanted to say to him.

"Amu-chan, I would understand if you were angry with me…I know I should have told you sooner, but I kept it from you because I didn't want to risk hurting you…but Rima-chan finally convinced me to tell you—" he started, but I interrupted him.

"Wait, Rima knew about this?! How? Did everyone know except me!?"

"No, it's not like that Amu-chan…Tadase knew from the beginning…and Tsukasa-san let Kukai in on the secret when I came back to the academy to help me transition to being the Jack's Chair…and then Rima-chan figured out on her own the night we went to save Ikuto from Easter. Other than that, no one else knew. So Amu-chan…will you forgive me for keeping this from you?"

"O-of course, Nagihiko! I'm just…glad that you did tell me…and I'm happy that "Nadeshiko" is back…so then…Temari…"

"I'm here! I re-hatched the day Rima-chan found out about Nagihiko!" Said a small voice from behind Nagihiko.

"Temari! Welcome back!" I said, smiling.

"I'm glad we can still be friends, Amu-chan. Maybe we will even be in the same class in sixth grade next year!" Nagihiko said hopefully.

"That would…that would be wonderful!" I said back smiling.

"Hinamori-san, thank you for coming!" I heard from behind me. Looking around I saw Sanjou-san, looking radiant in her beautiful white dress and Nikaidou-sensei looking put together and handsome in his formal suit.

"Yes! Thank you for inviting me, it was a beautiful wedding!" I said back to the beaming bride and groom.

"I assume you are joining us at the reception as well?" Nikaidou-sensei queried.

"Yes, I will! Thank you!" I answered, waving as they smiled and went on their way greeting the hordes of people who had shown up at their wedding. I noticed it was a lot of students.

"So Nikaidou-sensei really is a good teacher after all…" I mumbled to myself again, looking around for Nagihiko, who had disappeared after I talked to the bride and groom, but not able to find him.

"Spacing out again? It's like I can't even leave you alone," said a voice from behind me. Whipping around I was face to face with Ikuto, smirking at me again. What a pain he could be.

"Ikuto!...I…!" I stopped mid-sentence, remembering the man I had seen earlier. He sensed my mood change.

"What is it Amu? Something's bothering you," he said, leaning in close to me.

"I just…nothing…I was wondering…what does your father…look like, Ikuto?" I asked him hesitantly, trying to gauge his reaction. He looked a little surprised, but answered nonetheless.

"A lot like me, actually. Just older. Why? Are you that interested in me?" he said, back to teasing me.

"N-no, I just was wondering since we were talking about him and all," I stated, trying to retrace my steps.

"I see. Well then, I guess you aren't interested in what I was going to give you."

"Give me? What are you talking about?"

"Well, since you were the one who caught them…" he said, pulling out the bride's bouquet from behind him.

"Ikuto…I…thank you," I said, blushing furiously. "How did you…?"

"Well when you fell I caught you and your shugo chara caught the bouquet…and then they ran off and so did you, so I was stuck with these."

"I see…," I said, bringing them to my nose to smell them. "They smell grea—HEY!" What are you doing?!" I yelled as he hugged me from the side and buried his nose in my hair yet again. He really couldn't stop doing that.

"Why are you always smelling me!" I yelled, trying to push him off of me, but he was too heavy.

"Mmmmmm. You smell nice."

"Well...!" I started to say a rebuttal, but then suddenly he wasn't hugging me anymore but standing in front of me, hands in his pockets.

"So princess…will you dance with me?"

"D-d-da-dance!?" I exclaimed, trying to get ahold of my runaway heartbeat.

"Of course, that's what people do at weddings. They eat, they drink, they socialize, and they dance. So how about it?"

Instead of waiting for an answer, he pulled me out into the middle of the floor, causing me to have to practically throw the bouquet down on a nearby table, and started twirling me around. I realized that there had been music playing this whole time though I hadn't heard it. There were a lot of other people dancing near us as well.

I watched our feet for a while, trying to understand the steps. After a couple minutes, I looked up to find him staring at me.

"Wh-what?" I stuttered, taken aback by the small smile that played on his lips.

"Oh nothing. You just make me laugh."

"Laugh?!" And here I had thought he was actually being sweet…

"Of course. Because it's so typical of you. Not realizing how beautiful you are, I mean."

"I…wai…wh-what are you saying!"

Instead of answering he laughed again and drew me in closer so that my head was leaning against his chest. I felt his lips on the top of my head, and my cheeks heated up all over again. But despite my protests, it was…nice. He was warm, and somehow having him near made me feel safe.

It was a strange concept to me, since only a little over a year ago he had been the person I felt the most unsafe around. How had so much changed in that time? How had he worked his way into my heart like this?

I didn't know if that was a question that would ever be answered. But for now, I was content just to let down my guard and allow him to keep spinning me around and around.


	3. Chapter 3: Ikuto

I looked around, scoping out the area. There were drunken adults everywhere and sleepy looking children. What time was it? It was probably just about time to get this one home…

I looked over at the barely-conscious girl on the chair next to me. She was leaning against my arm, and I could feel her warm breath against the fabric of my shirt.

Oh how I had missed her. All those months that I was away. There was not a single day that went by that she didn't cross my mind. I had often wondered if she thought of me. There was even a time where I thought I had heard her voice, and had turned around to see no one there.

Falling in love with a girl so much younger than me, barely more than a child when I had first met her, had been hard. Understanding her had never been a problem, but holding back what I really wanted to say to her and turning things into a joke instead…I never wanted to scare her with the intensity of my feelings, so I kept them mostly hidden. It was what I was used to.

However, looking at her now, I knew that she was growing up. She looked subtly older than she had when I left, and despite her protests, did not seem to mind as much when I held her hand or hugged her.

"Mmmmmm…time is it?" I heard her slur, clearly still half asleep. I smiled down at her.

"So she's finally awake. Well, good thing you took that nap, you really needed some beauty sleep," I teased her again, though the opposite was true.

"Hey! You stupid cat, you didn't even answer my question."

"Hmm…" I hummed, looking around for a clock on the wall. My cellphone had died due to my forgetting to charge it the night before. Finding one, I read the time on it and laughed.

"No wonder, it's way past your bed time, kid. It's already 10 pm. Let's get you home," I said, swiftly picking her up and carrying her across the floor towards the door.

"W-wait! What are you doing!"

"I just thought that maybe since you were so tired, you couldn't walk on your own."

"I can walk…hey what about the bridal bouq—"

"Got it," I stated, picking it up as I passed by the table it had been sitting on.

"Hey! Let me down! I said I can walk!" she yelled stubbornly.

"Suit yourself," I replied, setting her down gently at the door. "Ready to head home then?"

"Yes…I probably should before my parents start to worry. And—WAIT HOW DID I GET THIS STAIN ON MY DRESS?!" She suddenly screeched, noticing the tiny red patch on her pale dress.

"You don't remember? I went to get you some punch and when I brought it back to you, you took a sip and then spit it out for some reason. You must have dripped some on your dress."

"Hey, that was your fault! I spit it out because you suddenly decided to kiss me on the cheek again!" She huffed angrily. Chuckling, I took her hand and started walking down the street in the direction of her house.

"Hey, Ikuto…?" she said, hesitantly again. I looked over at her, waiting to hear what she would say.

"Yeah?"

"You said you haven't seen or heard from your father yet…right?"

This again? Why was she so interested in my father all of the sudden?

"Right. Why do you ask?"

"No reason…it's just…I mean if you haven't found him…then your search isn't over…so that means…you have to leave again, doesn't it?"

So that was it. "Amu…remember what I told you last night? I will always come back for you. Never forget that. So don't worry about it, ok?"

"So then…if…say, your father…if he were to show up here, and you could talk to him…then…then you wouldn't have to go?"

"Amu…what is this really about?" I asked her, wondering where all this had come from.

"Really…it's nothing. I just…well, last time…when you were away…" she said, nervously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Hey. Listen, I don't have to leave again right away. My father is important to me…but so are you. How about if I stay for a while?"

"You…would do that?" she asked, eyes full of wonder. It made me laugh again.

"Amu, don't act so surprised. I was planning on staying awhile anyway. Tickets to Europe are expensive so coming back for a couple days would be a waste, not to mention my mother would probably like some company since Utau is so busy these days with her movie shoot."

"That's true…and it's summer break now, so…I have some time…"

"Would you like to go out tomorrow?" I asked suddenly. Now that I was here I wanted to spend every spare moment that I could with her.

"Go out…like…like a date?!" she squealed.

"Sure, why not?"

"I…well…I mean—"

"Here's your house. I'm sure your parents are waiting up awake for you to return." I said, cutting off her stutters and reaching for the door to knock.

"Wait…" she said, touching my arm to stop me. "I…thank you for walking me home…and I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

"That you will, princess," I told her, smiling. "That you will."

And with that, I kissed her hand, smiled down at her flushed face, and disappeared into the night.


	4. Chapter 4: Amu

I sat on my bed, still in shock from everything that had happened today, when I heard a tiny tapping sound coming from my window.

"Amu-chan! Hey Amu-chan! Let us in!" Su exclaimed from outside. I rushed over to let them in, feeling a little guilty that I hadn't even noticed they were missing.

"Ran! Miki! Su! Dia! Where…did you get off to tonight?"

"We went on an adventure with Kiseki, Amu-chan! And…we wanted to give you some alone time with Ikuto," Ran said, causing all four of them to giggle. "So how was your night Amu-chan?"

"I…well…I spent most of it with Ikuto. Just because, you know, he's been gone for so long and all…" I trailed off, wondering at the fact that I didn't even remember talking to anyone else at the wedding after Ikuto had forced me to dance with him. I remembered seeing some of my friends around, dancing or talking or eating…but they had all kept their distance. Even Tadase had made himself scarce.

"When did you get home, Amu-chan?"

"Just a little while ago…Ikuto walked me home. I walked in and Mama and Papa were waiting in the house for me. I said goodnight and came up here, and then you four showed up."

"Oooooohhh Ikuto walked you home!" Miki said, giggling again, but I didn't respond. My mind was elsewhere.

"Amu-chan…what's wrong? You seem like you're deep in thought about something."

"I…I think I saw…Ikuto's father today…at the wedding…" I admitted. "I…can't decide if I should tell Ikuto or not…because Ikuto believes that his father is still in Europe somewhere…why would his father avoid him like that? I just don't know…"

"Amu-chan, you remember what happened when you kept something important from Tadase? Not only did you hurt Tadase and Ikuto, but yourself as well," Dia reminded me, repeating the story that she had no doubt heard from the other three.

"You're right…I should…I should tell him. Tomorrow, I'll do it. Thanks, you guys."

"Go, go, Amu-chan! You can do it!" Ran cheered, but I barely heard it, I was already drifting off to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5: Amu

"Big shista! Big shista, there's a boy at the door to see you!"

I sprung up in bed, in panic mode. "Ami, wait what time is it?!" How did I sleep this long! I have no time to get ready!" I heard giggling from my shugo chara in the background.

"He's waiting, big shista! Hurry, hurry!" she chanted, skipping out into the hallway once again.

"Miki! Quick! What should I wear?! I have no idea what to wear for a…a date…I mean I went out with Tadase before but…GAHH!"

Running over to my closet, I grabbed the first skirt and top that I could find, throwing them on after sending my pajamas flying across the room.

"Ran, Miki, Su, Dia, are you coming with me today?" I asked, curious if they were still doing this whole give Ikuto and me time alone thing.

"No…we're going to stay here today and...um…" Dia started, stumbling over her words.

"Play with Ami!" Ran supplied.

"But…you always complain about playing with Ami…you say she squeezes you and makes you put on weird clothes…" I said, confused, but the only answer I got was another round of giggles.

Rolling my eyes, I grabbed some shoes, quickly put a brush through my wild hair and headed down the stairs, almost tripping along the way.

When I arrived downstairs, I found my mother cheerfully asking Ikuto about his time in Europe (I had told her that he was going to find his father), and my father curled up in a ball in the corner crying. How typical.

"Well, it's good to see that you still come home. As a mother, I can tell you that yours must miss you a lot, since her only other child is an idol and is probably rarely home—ah, there you are Amu! Ikuto is here to take you out," my mother told me. "Be back home in a couple hours, ok? It will be dark soon."

"D-dark?! How long did I sleep for!?"

"…you mean you just woke up?" Ikuto said, a look of disbelief on his face. "I guess 10 pm last night really was past your bedtime," he told me, smirking.

"You're one to talk! All you do all day is take naps!" I countered, crossing my arms.

"Anyways…Amu, Ikuto, have fun!" my mother said, pushing us out of the house. Just as the door shut, I heard my father's wailing go up an octave. Rolling my eyes, I looked up at Ikuto, who had his hands in his pockets as usual. I noticed he also had his violin hanging on his back today.

"So…what now?" I said, suddenly feeling a little nervous. I had been alone with Ikuto many times before and we had even been together in situations that could have been considered "dates", but this was the first time that I was deliberately going out for the purpose of a date with him.

"Well are you hungry? Since you just woke up, after all…" he said, smirking at me again.

"Yes, actually I am," I said, trying not to smile at his teasing.

"Well then, let's go."

"W-wait, where are we going?!"

"To eat, of course. Didn't you just say you were hungry?"

"No! I mean, yes…but…that's not the point!"

"We're going to the street market. There, you can get whatever you want." he said, smiling down at me.

"Oh…ok, then," I said, "Lead the way."

* * *

"I had a great day, thank you," I told Ikuto as we neared my house. It was already dinner time, so I needed to be home and eat with my family.

The entire day, I had actively avoided the topic of his father, knowing that I needed to tell him but not wanting to all the same. I kept telling myself the timing was wrong or it would ruin the mood or some other excuse. But now I really couldn't avoid it any longer. Sighing I turned around to face him.

"Ikuto." I started.

"What is it?"

"There's something I need to tell you. It's about—"

"Amu, please come inside, we are all seated at the table waiting for you!" my mother called out the window, effectively stopping my sentence. I turned around to say something to Ikuto but he beat me to it.

"You can tell me tonight. I'll come by your room," he said smoothly.

"I…in…IN MY ROOM?!"

"Amu. We slept in the same bed for days before and now you're nervous to have me in your room?"

"Only because you kept crawling into the bed during the night when I was asleep!"

"I was sick. And the floor was cold."

"AMU!" my mother called again.

"Coming!" I yelled in to her, quickly waving to Ikuto and opening the front door to step inside.

"How was your day?" my mother asked as I sat down at the table.

"It was fun. We went to eat at the street market and then we went to the park and he played his violin for a while."

"Well, that sounds like a lot of fun. Did you—?"

"AMU WHY?!" My father wailed.

"Dad calm down, what are you—"

"Your father thought that today was a date. I told him that was silly because Ikuto is way too old for you, right Amu?" My mother said, clearly implying that it would be inappropriate.

"R-right. Why would I go on a date with Ikuto?" I said, almost believing it myself.

After I was finished eating, I quickly put a small amount of food in my hand while no one was looking for my shugo chara just like I did every night. Heading upstairs, I walked into my room, closing the door behind me and turning around to look for the tiny plate I always put the food on.

"That was fast."

"IKUTO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" I yelled at the boy sitting comfortably on my bed before it hit me that I probably shouldn't be so loud or my parents would come upstairs to see what was wrong.

"What? I told you I was coming to your room tonight, didn't I?"

"Yes…but—"

"You slept so late that it's already "tonight" technically."

Sighing, I set the food down on the plate, which I had now located. There was just no winning with him.

"Thank you!" Ran said to me, smiling as they started eating.

"How was playing with Ami today?" I asked them.

"Fun! She only squeezed us twice!" Su said, smiling. I smiled back knowingly, and then turned my head as I heard a rustling sound coming from my bed.

"Come over here," Ikuto said, moving over to make some more room.

"Ok…but…you stay on that side of the bed!" I told him, trying to sound firm. He didn't say anything, but waited until I sat down on the bed before crawling over to sit right beside me so that our arms were touching.

"Hey! I said—!" I started, but I didn't get to finish.

"I don't recall ever agreeing to your ridiculous demand," he said easily, nuzzling my cheek with his just as a cat would.

"Ridiculous?! The only thing that's ridiculous is how two people are this close together on such a big bed!" I said, scrunching up my face and trying to push him off me again.

"What did you want to talk about?" he asked me, stilling and turning to look at me.

"Well…I…I thought I saw—AHH! What are you doing now?!"

He had given up sitting next to me and instead was now lying on my stomach, his arms wrapped around me. I remembered he had done this before too, right before he told me for the first time that the girl he liked was me. Of course, I had thought he was lying back then, but considering what he had been telling me recently, I knew he had been telling the truth even then.

"It's impossible to get through a conversation with you! You clearly never learned the "keep your hands to yourself" rule, did you?!" I scolded him, though really I was trying pretty hard to hide my hot cheeks and the rapid beat of my heart.

"Cut me some slack. I only get to see you so often, and of that time I barely spend any of it cuddling with you."

"C-cu-CUDDLING?!" I squealed.

"What did you think this was? You're such a kid," he replied easily, his voice slightly muffled.

When he stayed like that, I watched him for a little bit, and then my curiosity got the best of me. His hair looked so soft. I knew it was, as I had felt it on multiple occasions, but I never got to just run my hands through it. Tentatively, I raised my hand to his head and ran my fingers through his dark locks. Sighing deeply, he closed his eyes, and buried his face in my stomach. Curious, I raised my other hand as well and started experimentally combing through his hair. As I continued, I could feel his body relaxing and I could almost imagine him purring.

"Aaaaaaaahhhhhh. That feels nice," he said, voice still muffled, causing me to blush furiously. I couldn't explain why, but somehow seeing him like this, and knowing it was because of me made me happy. When I had first met him, he always looked so uptight and rarely smiled. He looked like someone who was too young to carry the weight of the world, but was trying to anyway. Now as I looked at him, I realized that not only did he seem so much more relaxed these days, but also happy. I had seen him smile so much recently, and I couldn't help but love it when he did. I thought absently that I could spend my whole life finding ways to make him smile as my fingers continued to play in his hair.


	6. Chapter 6: Ikuto

I could not for the life of me bring myself to move. Lying on her stomach with her fingers in my hair I thought absently that I could stay like this forever.

No one had ever touched me like this before, so tenderly. I was always rather closed off from my friends, and even my mother kept her distance from me. As a child I remembered her being so weak and fragile that I was often sent out of the room by doctors or nurses to go check on Utau, so even then there had been no time for tenderness. As I grew up, I rarely went to my mother for anything, even if I got a scrape or a bruise, I would take care of it myself. Maybe this lack of physical contact growing up was what caused me to remember so vividly the first time I had felt this way.

Back when I was just starting to get to know Amu, I had gotten in a fight with a couple guys who were harassing some girls. I had gotten pretty banged up, and by chance Amu had happened to walk by the alley way I was sitting in. I remembered my heart picking up in speed, which confused me. At the time, I hadn't realized my own feelings yet. And then she had come running over and started trying to clean a wound on my face with a cloth. The way she was looking at me had sent my heart racing even faster. Before I knew it, I had laid down with my head in her lap. I didn't know what I had been expecting, but when I had first felt her fingers timidly touch my hair and graze my ear, it sent a jolt of surprise down my spine. In order to cover it up, I had teased her about touching my ear, which was sensitive, causing her to drop my head on the concrete.

After that, I had taken every chance I got to touch her again. After I finally realized the feelings I had for her, I wanted to show her how I felt about her through touch, the same as she had done for me. Whether it was catching her when she clumsily tripped or faking an injury to trick her into hugging me, it had become something I cherished. Before the final showdown with Easter, she had shied away from contact for the most part, so I had kept it brief or resisted all together for her sake, but I had noticed a change since she had saved me from being controlled by Easter by embracing me. Somehow, she had known exactly what I needed to be freed, and had given that to me.

Since then, there was a definite change in her attitude towards me. Instead of shying away from contact, she often let me get close to her, and sometimes even allowed lingering touches, like letting me hold her hand. Though she protested, she fought it half-heartedly, tipping me off that though she would never admit it, a part of her did enjoy it.

"Are you asleep?" she asked me quietly, and I could hear a smile in her voice.

"Yes," I replied, not wanting to move. I heard some giggles presumably coming from her shugo chara.

"Well I'm going to have to ask you to wake up. We still need to talk, remember?"

Oh yeah, that. I had forgotten that I had come here for a reason other than to cuddle with her. With a tremendous effort, I hoisted myself up and sat down next to her, but wasted no time pulling her small form onto my lap and wrapping my arms around her again. As expected, she began to protest.

"I-Ikuto! How am I supposed to talk to you like this!" she yelled at me.

"Easily. I can still hear you when you're not facing me, you know."

"No! I mean…I can't…" she stuttered, adorably trying to hide what she was really thinking, which I had just realized.

"You're having a hard time talking to me because your heart is racing and you can't concentrate. That's it, isn't it?" I said laughing into her hair.

"N-no way! Not a chance you stupid cat!"

"Didn't I tell you that I was going to make you fall in love with me?" I said, smirking.

To my surprise, she didn't respond to this by protesting loudly. In fact, she went silent. Curious, I turned her around to face me and saw that her expression had become troubled.

"Amu. Whatever it is that you have been worrying about since yesterday, you can tell me," I told her seriously, wanting so badly to make that tiny frown disappear from her lips.

"Ikuto."

Her tone caught me by surprise, but when she caught my eyes with her solemn gaze and gently laid a hand on my chest, I started to feel concerned. This was very unlike her.

"Ikuto…" she started again, "I…yesterday at the wedding…I think…I think I saw your father," she said, eyes glued to mine, watching for a reaction.

I couldn't control my face as my eyes widened and my jaw dropped slightly.

"Amu…are…are you sure?" I forced out the words through my shock.

"Pretty sure…he looked exactly like you, Ikuto. Only older. Just like you told me. And…" she paused, clearly unsure if she should say the next part.

"And…?" I asked her gently. Whatever I was feeling right now, I needed her to know that I wasn't upset with her in any way.

"And…he was with…a woman…who looked an awful lot like Utau…" she continued hesitantly.

"My mother…" I confirmed dazed, "…was with…my father? At the wedding?"

"Ikuto…" she said, eyes filling with tears. "I'm sorry…I didn't want to keep this from you…but I didn't want to upset you…so I wasn't able to make myself tell you…until now…" she said quietly as a single tear made a trail down her pale cheek.

"Amu…why are you crying?" I asked her, taken aback that she would feel this strongly about this. I pulled her into a hug. From the beginning I had been terrible at watching this girl cry. I remembered the second time I saw her, I had accidentally broken a snack she had made and when I saw her tears, I had felt a strange pain in my chest. I had gone to buy her a bag full of snacks in an attempt to make her feel better, even though I had been confused about why this kid had such an effect on me.

"Amu, there's no need to cry. I'm not the least bit upset with you—" I started, trying to figure out the reason for her tears.

"That's not it, Ikuto. I…I can't imagine how this must make you feel. You've been searching for your father for months…you haven't seen him since you were a little kid…and yet he doesn't even make himself known to you when you're in the same room…" she cried into my chest.

She was absolutely right. I wanted to simultaneously punch a wall and scream. I was very sure that she couldn't imagine what I was feeling, and I wouldn't have had it any other way. Whatever I was feeling could wait. Right now, I needed to cheer her up. She should never have to feel this way. Pushing my feelings on the matter to the back of my mind, I took her shaking shoulders and pushed her off of my chest.

"Hey. You don't need to cry. You look so much prettier when you smile," I told her, trying to lighten the mood. I was rewarded by the tiniest of smiles. Wiping her tears with my thumbs, I continued trying to make her feel better.

"Jeez, I guess you really are a kid after all," I told her, mussing her hair affectionately.

"And here I thought you were finally being nice for once," she said, but I could still see the tiny smile at the corner of her mouth. Then, as if snapping out of a trance, she suddenly started pushing me away.

"H-hey, I don't remember saying you could hold me like this!" she started in again, causing me to smirk.

"You didn't have to, I could just tell you wanted me to," I teased her, relieved that she was back to her normal self, and reluctantly lifting her off my lap and setting her on the bed as I stood up.

"Hey, that's not—GAHH!" She squealed as I swooped in to kiss her nose. She turned bright red, and I could tell she was about to complain. I cut her off.

"Goodnight, Amu. Sleep well, and never forget that I love you," I told her, no longer trying to hide the fact that I was completely and desperately in love with her.

Going over to her window, I turned around one last time, strangely reluctant to leave without seeing her face once more. Attempting to burn the image of her sweet face and wide, innocent eyes into my mind, I smiled once more and whispered, "Until next time…" and slid the door open, closing it behind me and bounding off into the dark.


	7. Chapter 7: Ikuto

Now that I was out of her sight and there was no chance of her taking the blame, I let my anger take over. I ran as fast as I could down the dark street, trying to understand my father's actions.

When I was gasping for air from running too fast for too long, I slowed, doubling over to catch my breath. When I could breathe a little easier, I stood up, leaning against the brick wall next to me. I thought about punching the shit out of it. I really did. But I knew that what I really wanted to do was find my father and mother and figure out what the hell they were trying to do. So I showed the wall mercy and continued on my way towards my house, it could hardly be called a home, making sure that I stayed out of sight of the main road.

Why would my parents do this? My father had been gone for so long that most days I could barely remember what he had been like. For all I knew he could be every bit the selfish, immature, cruel man that people always seemed to want to make him out to be for leaving us. Of course I had always viciously defended him, saying that he certainly had his reasons. Now I questioned my childish claims.

But my mother. I could not for the life of me understand why she would keep something like this from me. It was true that she had been a bit of an absent figure in my childhood, but I liked to believe that she did care about Utau and me. I could always tell myself that she was a woman of poor health, and that it wasn't her fault that she wasn't able to care for us and spend time with us like most mothers did. I had always been the one, even when I was young, to take care of the house and make sure that Utau and I were able to eat when she was sick, but even so, I never complained, always believing that if the tables were turned and I was the sick one, she would do the same for me.

It seemed stupid to be questioning these things now without even knowing the full story, but I couldn't stop my angry thoughts as they raged like a fire through my bones. She knew how it felt, missing that man. She knew what it was like to be left behind and forgotten, longing to see him again. She knew the pain, yet she allowed me to continue feeling it when she knew that he was in fact right here. She had had plenty of chances to tell me too. True, I had gotten home late last night, but she had been asleep on the couch in the entryway, presumably waiting for me to get home. I had come over and woken her, helping her to her room upstairs. Then early this morning I had woken up to make breakfast for her, knowing she would want to hear all about my search for her so-called missing husband. Sure enough, she had listened and asked many questions, but never once did she give any hint that she had seen him only the night before, even though I was so obviously downhearted at not having found him.

I stopped short as I realized that my racing thoughts had effectively made me lose my grasp on time and I was now standing in front of the house. Taking a breath to calm myself down, I found my key and unlocked the door, stepping inside. It wasn't all that late, just a couple hours after dinner time, so it was strange that all of the lights were off. Utau was on a break from her movie, but she had been out pretty late these last couple nights, presumably with the boy I had seen her with at the wedding yesterday, Kukai I believed his name was, so it wasn't strange that she didn't seem to be here. However, my mother almost never left the house during the evening. She did her shopping and such during the day and spent most of her evenings inside, watching television or reading. I flipped on the light switch, not caring if she was sleeping nearby. She had a lot of questions to answer.

"Mother? Are you here?" I said into the quiet, sounding louder than I had intended. Hearing a small sound near the kitchen, which was still dark, I looked in that direction. Seeing movement, I walked slowly towards it, trying to make out the shapes.

"Mother, is that you?" I asked, a little confused as to why she hadn't answered me. "Mother—" I started again, but was interrupted.

"Ikuto. There you are. I was waiting for you to come home," she said, and I felt the tiniest bit of relief that she sounded fine.

"Mother, we need to talk. I was told—"

I stopped mid-sentence as a whooshing sound broke the silence. Before I could react, a strange smell reached my nose and I realized that the whooshing sound was some kind of gas being released. Suddenly my legs gave out and panicked, I tried to move my muscles, but they wouldn't respond to my hectic brain screaming at me to get out of there, that this was some kind of sick trap.

Lying on the cold kitchen floor, I tried desperately to keep my heavy eyelids open, but I realized with dread that I was fighting a losing battle. Just before my hazy mind shut down, I saw a figure step from the shadows. A man. The way he walked, the shape of his face, everything about him was familiar. After all, I had spent most of my life trying to remember details like this about him after he left.

"Hello, Ikuto. It's been awhile," was the last thing my clouded mind could make out before I succumbed to the void.


End file.
